This year two of our highest need clients have made significant progress at Learning Without Limits, a K-5 elementary school in Oakland’s Fruitvale District. A big part of this success results from efforts by school staff to center the voice and experience of caregivers in collaborations. The connection between these clients’ progress and efforts to center caregiver voice is not surprising and speaks to the dedication of Seneca and LWL staff to stand by these caregivers through challenging moments, value their feedback regarding how they experience collaboration, adjust interventions and express appreciation to caregivers for their collaboration.
A year ago, one of the clients was demonstrating high risk behaviors in the home and school setting and the caregiver doubted if they could continue caring for them. Additionally, the school team began to question if LWL was the appropriate setting or if the client needed a more structured school placement. Efforts by the client’s SSAs, clinician, teachers and IEP team to support the caregiver’s concerns and needs helped the caregiver tap into their resilience and provide the client disconfirming stance they needed: “I got you, I’m here for you, you’re not going anywhere.” For a client who has already endured multiple placement changes, this means everything and frees the client to participate in after school sports and improve their reading so that they are at grade level!
At the same time last year, our other client also struggled behaviorally in the school setting and the caregiver was constantly contacted to come to the school and take the client home. The caregiver expressed frustration about the school team’s response to their child’s behaviors, the need for the school team to adjust their interventions and their feeling that their input was not welcome. The client’s school team took this feedback to heart to incorporate caregiver’s feedback, increase communication with caregiver about client’s progress and positive behaviors, continually invite caregiver’s input and express appreciation for their collaboration. Currently, the client demonstrates more positive behaviors and is invested in earning positive phone calls home while the caregiver shared they feel their voice matters in collaboration and views LWL as a source of stability for the client as their family experiences transition.
A year ago, one of the clients was demonstrating high risk behaviors in the home and school setting and the caregiver doubted if they could continue caring for them. Additionally, the school team began to question if LWL was the appropriate setting or if the client needed a more structured school placement. Efforts by the client’s SSAs, clinician, teachers and IEP team to support the caregiver’s concerns and needs helped the caregiver tap into their resilience and provide the client disconfirming stance they needed: “I got you, I’m here for you, you’re not going anywhere.” For a client who has already endured multiple placement changes, this means everything and frees the client to participate in after school sports and improve their reading so that they are at grade level!
At the same time last year, our other client also struggled behaviorally in the school setting and the caregiver was constantly contacted to come to the school and take the client home. The caregiver expressed frustration about the school team’s response to their child’s behaviors, the need for the school team to adjust their interventions and their feeling that their input was not welcome. The client’s school team took this feedback to heart to incorporate caregiver’s feedback, increase communication with caregiver about client’s progress and positive behaviors, continually invite caregiver’s input and express appreciation for their collaboration. Currently, the client demonstrates more positive behaviors and is invested in earning positive phone calls home while the caregiver shared they feel their voice matters in collaboration and views LWL as a source of stability for the client as their family experiences transition.
Blog Post Written By: Mark Thibedeau, Clinical Supervisor
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